Typing accessory mounting device



p 1964 c. o. BROOKHOUSER TYPING ACCESSORY MOUNTING DEVICE Filed Oct. 10, 1962 CORDA O. BROOKHOUSER United States Patent 3,147,34ti TYPHNG ACCESSQRY MGUNTING DEVECE Corda Q. Eroohhouser, 3894 MacMurtry Court, Martinez,

Calif., assignor of one-fifth to Gadgct-of the-Month Club, inc, North Hoilywood, (Ialii, a corporation of @alifornia Filed Get. it), 1962, er. No. 229,6tl8 1 Claim. (Cl. 197-136) Generally speaking, the present invention relates to a typing accessory mounting device or holder which is adapted to removably mount or hold one or more typing accessories in conveniently accessible locations adjacent to a typewriter so that any of said typing accessories will at all times be quickly and easily avaliable for use by a typist using the typewriter. Indeed, because of the fact that the novel typing accessory mounting device of the present invention will be in a fixed location with respect to the typewriter, the typist will be able to find and quickly remove any of the accessories without even looking at the mounting device or the accessory. More importantly, this means that it will never be necessary to look about the typists desk or adjacent regions in order to find where the desired accessory is located at the moment, as is frequently the case in conventional prior art typing situations.

One of the primary typing accessories adapted to be removably mounted by the novel typing accessory mounting device of the present invention is a typing eraser, which is one of the most frequently used accessories and which may assume any of several different forms, any one of which can be conveniently and removably mounted by the novel holder of the present invention.

However, the typing accessory holder of the present invention is also adapted to removably mount, in conveniently accessible locations, various other typing accessories. For example, it may mount an erasing shield or guard for use in erasing typing errors, a type-cleaning brush and a segment-cleaning pick, or various other typing accessories, as desired.

The novel typing accessory holder of the present invention is provided with novel mounting means for mounting any one or each of said typing accessories in a conveniently accessible location and in a readily removable manner. This mounting means includes, as a part thereof, two-element engaging means for removably mounting one type of accessory items, such as the abovementioned typing eraser, for example, since this is one of the most important accessories. However, the invention is not specifically so limited.

The two-element engaging means just referred to, in one specific version of the invention, may include one element which is carried by an upstanding or otherwise projecting mounting member of the device of the present invention and also includes a second element which is carried by the particular accessory item (such as a typing eraser or the like, although not specifically so limited) which is to be removably mounted with respect to said first element.

In one specific embodiment of the present invention, the two-element engaging means referred to above may comprise magnetic engaging means including two magnetic elements adapted to be magnetically attracted toward each other for positively maintaining engagement therebetween whereby to hold and mount the corresponding accessory item in a. conveniently accessible location for subsequent manual removal when desired.

In one preferred exemplary form of the invention, the magnetic engaging means referred to above may comprise a permanent magnet means carried by said projecting or upstanding mounting member and a magnetically attractable element, such as a quantity of ferromag- Fatented Sept. 8, 1964 netic material or the like which is adapted to be magnetically attracted to, and held in engagement with, said permanent magnet means, whereby to hold the corresponding typing accessory item in mounted relationship until manual removal thereof when the typist desires to use said accessory item.

in one exemplary form of the invention, the abovementioned mounting member may be carried by a base member which carries typewriter-engageable retaining means of a distinctive and novel type adapted to be readily and easily placed in firmly locked and retained engagement with respect to a typewriter so as to firmly fix the entire device at a conveniently manually accessible location closely laterally adjacent to the typewriter. Said typewriter-engageable retaining means is also adapted to be manually disengaged from the typewriter in a very simple and easy manner, thus allowing the entire device to be removed from the retained and firmly locked relationship with respect to the typewriter when desired.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel typing accessory mounting device or holder of the generic type referred to above and which may embody any or all of the various specific features, aspects, and/or structures referred to above, and which provides for the conveniently manually accessible mounting of any of a plurality of typing accessory items in closely laterally adjacent relationship with respect to a typewriter.

It is a further object to provide a typing accessory holder of the type referred to in the preceding object wherein the holding and engaging operation of the device with respect to various typing accessory items includes magnetic holding means for holding at least one of said accessory items-usually a typing eraser, although not specifically so limited.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel typing accessory holder of the character referred to above which includes a novel typewriterengageable retaining means for quick and easy retaining and locking engagement with respect to a typewriter resting upon a horizontal underlying supporting surface and for corresponding quick and easy disengagement therefrom when desired.

It is a further object to provide a novel typing accessory holder of any of the types referred to above which is adapted to mount a plurality of other typing acces sory items, such as erasure guard means, type-cleaning brush means, segment-cleaning pick means, and/or various other typing accessory items, as desired.

It is a further object to provide a novel typing accessory holder as referred to hereinbefore which is of relatively simple, inexpensive, foolproof, easy-to-mount, easy-to-dismount, and easy-to-use, construction such as to be conducive to widespread use thereof.

Further objects are implicit in the detailed description which follows hereinafter (which is to be considered as exemplary of the invention, but not specifically limiting it), and. said objects will be apparent to persons skilled in the art after a careful study of the detailed description which follows hereinafter.

For the purpose of clarifying the nature of the present invention, one exemplary embodiment is illustrated in the hereinbelow-described figures of the accompanying single drawing sheet and is described in detail hereinafter.

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of one exemplary embodiment of the invention, slightly reduced from its true actual size and showing it resting upon a portion of a Hat, horizontal surface and not mounting any of the various typing accessory items which it is adapted to removably mount. This is done for reasons of drawing simplification and clarity.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of one exemplary form of typing accessory item having a type-cleaning brush at one end and an openable and closable segmentcleaning pick at the other end.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the typing accessory item of FIG. 2 as seen from the right side of FIG. 2. In this View the segment-cleaning pick is illustrated in open position by the full line showing thereof, while it is illustrated in closed position by the broken line showing thereof.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of another typing accessory item comprising a conventional typing eraser having an erasing tip at one end and an eraser debrisremoving brush at the other end. This view also shows said typing eraser as being removably carried by one element of a two-element engaging means shown in operative engaged relationship in FIG. 9-the other element thereof being shown as carried by the upstanding mounting member in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a reduced-size perspective view of an eras- 1 FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken in the direction a of the arrows 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the bottom portion of the typing accessory holder of FIG. 1 with the top portion thereof broken away for space conservation reasons. In this view, the novel typewriterengageable retaining means is illustrated in the disengaged position by the solid line showing thereof, while it is shown in engaged relationship, corresponding to that shown in FIG. 9, by the broken line showing thereof.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view drawn to a slightly smaller scale than FIG. 1 and shows the device in a conveniently manually accessible, retained, locked relationship with respect to the right side of a standard office typewriter (which is shown fragmentarily) and also in such retained locked relationship with respect to an underlying horizontal supporting surface (also shown fragmentarily) upon which the typewriter rests. This view also shows the device effectively holding and mounting a plurality of different types of typing accessory items such as the item shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the item shown in FIG. 4, and the item shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 10 illustrates, in fragmentary form, the top portion of the device of the present invention as shown in FIG. 9. However, in this view the two different versions of typing eraser shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 have been effectively interchanged so that FIG. 10 shows the version of FIG. 6 in magnetically retained engaged relationship with respect to the permanent magnet means carried at the top of the mounting member of the device, while FIG. 9 shows the other type of eraser of FIG. 4 so magnetically engaged and mounted.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary elevational view of the top portion of the upstanding mounting member of FIG. 1 and of the top portion of the accessory item illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 in engaged relationship therewith for removably mounting same.

Generally speaking, the typing accessory holder of the present invention, indicated generally by the reference numeral 21 in FIG. 1, comprises a base member 22 which, in the exemplary and non-specifically limiting form illustrated, is of substantially T-shaped configuration as seen in top plan view. This provides a very stable configuration. However, various other configurations may be employed and are within the broad spirit and scope of the present invention.

The base member 22 is provided with downwardly facing friction means comprising compressible elastic pad means 23 positioned immediately thereunder and adapted to rest upon a substantially flat, horizontal underlying surface, such as that indicated at 24, and to be supported thereby in a firm, stable and non-sliding manner. In the exemplary form of the invention illustrated, the pad means 23 may be made of rubber, plastic, or various other suitable materials and may be cemented or otherwise suitably affixed to the lower surface of the base member 22.

The base member 22 may be provided with a mounting member for effectively mounting one or more typing accessory items. In the exemplary form of the invention illustrated, said mounting member is indicated at 25 and comprises an upwardly extending thin sheet member bent at the angle-defining bend region 26 at the bottom thereof into a substantially horizontal plane and having a horizontally directed portion 27 which is firmly afiixed to the upper surface of the base member 22 along the fastening or junction plane indicated by the reference numeral 28. This may be accomplished by adhesive means, cohesive means, or various mechanical fastening means. In other words, adhesives, soldering, brazing, Welding, rivets, and/or other mechanical fasteners or the like are all within the scope of the present invention for achieving the junction along the plane 28. It will be noted that this leaves the forward portion 29 of said horizontal member 27 free and capable of resilient up- Ward deflection away from the underlying portion of the top surface of the base member 22. This provides what may be termed engaging or mounting means, designated generally by the reference numeral 31, for mounting the typing accessory item indicated by the reference numeral 32 in FIGS. 5 and 9 and comprising an erasing shield or guard. It will be noted that this will removably hold the erasing shield 32 in the manner best shown in FIG. 9 until it is manually removed for use in connection with an erasing operation, after which it may be easily re placed.

It should be clearly noted that the invention is not limited to an arrangement including engaging or mounting means 31 of the type specifically described above. This may be modified or eliminated entirely in certain forms of the invention.

The base member 22 is provided with typewriterengageable retaining means, one form of which is indicated generally at 33, for removable engagement with respect to a typewriter, indicated generally at 34 in FIG. 9, whereby to lock the entire device 21 with respect to the typewriter 34 at a desired laterally adjacent and conveniently manually accessible location resting upon the underlying horizontal supporting surface 24, which also carries the typewriter 34 laterally adjacent to the typing accessory holder 21.

In the exemplary form of the invention illustrated, said typewriter-engageable retaining means, indicated generally at 33, comprises an upwardly angularly directed thin sheet member 35 resiliently integrally connected at one end to the base member 22, as indicated at 36. In the exemplary form of the invention illustrated, said upwardly angularly directed member 35 is provided with upwardly directed friction means comprising the compressible elastic pad means 37 positioned immediately thereover and adapted to engage the bottom edge 38 of the typewriter 34 in an upwardly resiliently-biased frictionally retained manner as best shown in FIG. 9. In the specific exemplary form of the invention illustrated, said compressible elastic pad means 37 may be made of rubber, plastic, or various other suitable materials and may be fastened to the top surface of the member 35 by adhesive, cohesive, and/or mechanical fastening means of any desired type.

It will readily be understood that when the typewriterengageable retaining means 33 is manually downwardly compressed into the relationship shown in FIG. 9 and illustrated in broken lines in FIG. 8, it is possible to laterally insert it under the edge 38 of the typewriter 34 into a position such as is illustrated in FIG. 9, where it can be manually released. This will allow the resilient characteristics of the material (usually spring steel or the like, although not specifically so limited) to force the member 35 and the pad 37 upwardly into firm retaining and locking engagement with respect to the bottom side edge 38 of the typewriter 34, while simultaneously downwardly forcing the base member 22 and the compressible pad 23 on the bottom thereof against the underlying supporting surface 24 in a manner such as to further enhance the firmly locked retained engagement of the entire device 21 with respect to the typewriter 34 and the supporting surface 24. This will effectively mount the device in the manner shown in FIG. 9, where it is located in a conveniently manually accessible position for easy use by a typist. However, of course, it should be understood that it may be located anywhere else with respect to the typewriter 34, as desired by the typist.

In the exemplary and non-specifically limiting form of the invention illustrated, the upstanding mounting member 25 is effectively provided with mounting means for removably mounting a plurality of typing accessory items. Said mounting means includes as a portion thereof the two-element engaging means, generally designated by the reference numeral 39 in FIG. 9, where the two elements thereof are shown in engaged relationship. Also, said two-element engaging means is partially shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 where the designation 39 is also employed for indicating same.

In the specific exemplary form of the invention illustrated, one element of said two-element engaging means 39 is carried by the upstanding mounting member 25, as is best shown in FIG. 1, while the other element of said two-element engaging means 39 is carried by a typing accessory item, such as the item shown in FIG. 4 and generally designated by the reference numeral 40. In the form illustrated in FIG. 4 and also in FIG. 9, said typing accessory item 40 takes the form of a typing eraser carried by a longitudinal body 41 of pencil-like configuration having an erasing tip portion 42 at one end and an erasing debris-removing brush 43 at the other end.

In the exemplary form illustrated, the second ele ment of the two-element engaging means designated by the reference numeral 39 in FIGS. 4 and 9 is removably carried by the typing eraser body 41 by means of a frictional slip-on 44 which can be removed therefrom and placed in engagement with another typing eraser body 41 of similar pencil-like configuration when desired.

In the exemplary form of the invention illustrated, the first element of said two-element engaging means 39 comprising the one carried by the upstanding mounting member 25, is shown as comprising a permanent magnet means 45 cemented or otherwise atfixed to the upstanding mounting member 25 a short distance from the top thereof. In the exemplary form illustrated, the second element of said two-element engaging means 39 is shown as comprising a ferromagnetic member 46 carried by the frictional clamp 44 and in the general form and shape of a metallic button or the like, although not specifically so limited.

It will readily be understood that the ferromagnetic member 46 may be placed in engagement with the permanent magnet 45 in the manner shown in FIG. 9 and it will then be magnetically retained and held in said mounted relationship until manually removed therefrom for erasing use of the eraser 40, after which it is again replaced.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate an alternate form of typing accessory functionally similar to the one illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 9. In this variation of the invention, the typing accessory also comprises an eraser, which is generally designated by the reference numeral 4t) and which has a rotary, disk-shaped erasing element 42' carried by the spaced body members 41' which are interconnected by the rivet means 47, and which carries at the opposite end thereof the debris-removing brush means 43'.

In this modification of the invention, the second element of the two-element engaging means, which in this case is designated by the reference numeral 39' as shown in FIG. 10, takes a slightly different form and comprises ferromagnetic means 46' including two outer ferromagnetic members 48 of generally button-like configuration which carry, respectively, male and female threaded engagement elements with the male element 49 passing through the hollow rivet 47 of the eraser 40 and then threadedly engaging the female element 51. This provides an arrangement such that each surface of the eraser element 42' is effectively provided with a portion of the ferromagnetic means 46 which is capable of being placed in magnetically held relationship with respect to the permanent magnet 45 carried by the upstanding mounting member 25 of the device, as clearly shown, although in fragmentary form, in FIG. 10.

The hereinbefore mentioned mounting means for holding one or more typing accessory items, in addition to the two-element engaging means shown at 39 and at 39, and in addition to the engaging means 31 for the erasing shield 32, may also include additional engaging and/or mounting means for mounting additional typing accessory items.

One additional such typing accessory item which is to be construed as exemplary and not as specifically limiting the invention thereto, is designated generally by the reference numeral 52, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In the exemplary form shown, it comprises a typewritercieaning accessory item which has a longitudinal handle portion 53 carrying at one end thereof type-cleaning brush means 54 and which carries at the other end an openable and closable segment-cleaning pick, indicated at 55.

In the form illustrated, the type-cleaning brush means 54 includes a longitudinally directed set of brush bristles 56 and a horizontally directed set of brush bristles 57 so as to be capable of cleaning cooperation with the type of various different standard ofiice typewriters. However, this is not to be construed as specifically limiting the invention in any way.

In the form illustrated, the segment-cleaning pick means 55 comprises the blade 58 having the point portion 59 which is adapted to be placed into the semicircularly arranged, so-called segment slots of a typewriter at the portion where the key-carrying arms change from angularly outwardly directed relationship to substantially parallel relationship. This is a frequent source of trouble in a dirty typewriter, and the pick point 59 provides a very effective means for cleaning said segments and correcting this type of key-jamming typewriter malfunction. It will be noted that the pick blade 53 is pivotally mounted at 61 so that it can be moved between the solid line open position shown in FIG. 3 into the broken line closed position shown in said figure, as desired. However, this is not to be construed as specifically limiting the invention in any way, but is merely advanced for explanatory purposes.

The upper end of the handle member 53 is provided with engaging slot means 62 which is adapted to slide over and engage the engaging top edge means 63 of the upstanding mounting member 25 in the manner shown in FIG. 9 and shown in greater detail in FIG. 11. At the same time, the lower end 64 of the handle 53 is slidably moved into a recessed chamber or ring portion 65 carried at the bottom of the upstanding mounting member 25. This is shown in FIG. 9. These two engagements firmly mount the typewriter-cleaning accessory item 52 with respect to the mounting member 25 and yet do so in a readily removable manner.

It should be understood that the figures and the specific description thereof set forth in this application are for the purpose of illustrating the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention to the precise and detailed specific structure shown in the figures and specifically described hereinbefore. Rather, the real invention is intended to include substantially equivalent constructions embodying the basic teachings and inventive concept of the present invention.

I claim:

A typing accessory mounting device comprising: a base member adapted to rest upon a substantially flat, horizontal, underlying surface and be supported thereby, said base member being provided with typewriter-engageable retaining means cooperable for removable underlying engagement with respect to a lower side edge of a typewriter and with respect to said horizontal underlying surface whereby to removably lock said base member with respect to said typewriter and said horizontal underlying surface at a desired location laterally adjacent to said typewriter and resting upon said horizontal underlying surface, which also carries said typewriter, said typewriter-engageable retaining means comprising an upstanding angularly directed member resiliently connected to one end of said base member for forcible downward deflection as a result of lateral insertion thereof into a position underneath said lower side edge of said typewriter a short distance above said horizontal underlying surface upon which said base member and said typewriter rest, said inserted, downwardly deflected, normally upstanding angularly directed member being provided with upwardly angularly directed friction means comprising compressible pad means positioned immediately thereover and adapted to engage said lower side edge of said typewriter in an upwardly resiliently-biased frictionally retained manner, said base member comprising a substantially T-shaped member provided with downwardly facing friction means taking the form of compressible pad means positioned immediately thereunder and adapted to rest upon said substantially flat, horizontal, underlying surface whereby to provide a very stable and non-slipping foundation for the device, said base member being provided at an opposite end thereof with an upwardly extending mounting member provided with removable mounting means for removably mounting at least one accessory item, one portion of said mounting means comprising two-element engaging means, one element of said two-element engaging means being carried by said upwardly extending mounting member in a conveniently manually accessible location spaced above said base member, the other element of said two-element engaging means being carried by said accessory item which is to be removably mounted with respect to said first-mentioned element of said two-element engaging means, said twoelement engaging means comprising magnetic engaging means including permanent magnet means carried by said upwardly extending mounting member and cooperating magnetically attractable means carried by said accessory item which is to be removably mounted with respect to said upwardly extending mounting member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 628,366 Sponsel July 4, 1899 1,833,773 Brooks Nov. 24, 1931 2,419,215 Hoppman Apr. 22, 1947 3,039,435 Meyer June 19, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 474,448 Italy Sept. 23, 1952 

